TCAS or Traffic Collision Avoidance System interrogate other transponders and process these replies from other aircraft enabling them to show these on the PFD, MFD displays or a special IVSI indicator.
Some even issue aural warnings to the pilot helping him to avoid a potential midair collision or even flight into terrain.

For the experimental homebuilt aircraft pilot these are usually quite expensive systems, except for the portable CAS and the good old see and be seen system (which has its flaws). New ADS-B In solutions offers a receiver with connection to a mobile device as weather/ traffic display.

Traffic Detection with Transponders, TCAS

Mode S transponders even exchange data with TCAS so that aircraft equiped with these systems know where you are and are able to remain at a safe distance from you and other traffic.

These systems can only operate 100% reliable if all aircraft are equipped with at least a Mode C SSR transponder. The TCAS system will interrogate aircraft transponders via 1030 MHz and receive replies on 1090 MHz. With this information it is aware of other, possibly conflicting, traffic in the vicinity.

Aural advisory

And by constantly interrogating, the TCAS system can see in which direction traffic is moving (speed and time) and if it might be coming too close. If so, then the pilot receives a visual or aural warning of that traffic with an advisory.

And as more and more aircraft are being equipped with transponders, mandatory or not, this system works quite well.

Portable systems, PCAS

A number of manufacturers sell portable passive traffic detectors based on receiving transponder transmissions by other aircraft. It is basically a listening device with indicators on the frontpanel displaying signal strength, translated into range. These devices detect traffic within a 5 to 7 nm radius and relate signal strength to distance in a circle.

When traffic gets really close (within 3 nm or so) the indications usually will change to be more pronounced. Mode S transmissions can sometimes be displayed by a different color indicator.

Mode C or S

More sophisticated models use the mode C altitude transmission of other aircraft to compare that with their own mode C to indicate the relative altitude of the target.

Integration with the aircraft intercom system is also possible and advisable. Note that some models are battery powered where others need a connection to the aircraft avionics bus (which must be fused).

If you even had a near miss or if you suddenly saw an aircraft too close for comfort, then by all means invest in at least a system which gives warnings of traffic closeby. It will save your life one day.

Garmin 1000 & beyond

Those of you flying behind Garmin LCD screens will find the above systems built-in the EFIS system for easy use and top notch integration.

ADS-B 2020

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (or ADS-B) is part of the US Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and mandatory in the USA as of 2020. It requires no input from you, but needs integration with other aircraft systems like a GPS receiver for its position and a transponder for transmissions. With an external display (either standalone or an EFIS) traffic can be shown to the pilot. There are two options for aircraft/pilots: ADS-B Out, which transmits only and a ADS-B In as a receiving solution. Combined versions are also possible but are more expensive.

Portable

There are several portable/ mobile systems in use today: FLARM and PilotAware (which uses a Raspberry PI and a GPS, RTL and Wifi dongle) to name but a few. Garmin offers a portable solution (GDL 50 series) which also includes subscription free weather including NEXRAD radar, METARs, TAFs, TFRs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs and NOTAMs. The GDL 52 combines ADS-B weather with XM for your portable device via Wifi. Appareo offers all three ADS-B options for a reasonable price.

Uavionix (www.uavionix.com) sells a number of ADS-B in and out (transponder) solutions for the experimental and light sport market. They even carry mini ADS-B units for drones!

Levil Aviation (aviation.levil.com) sells a combined beacon system. The unit looks like a mini fin which has a pressure sensor, transponder receiver, GPS receiver and an ADS-B Out system. It mounts on the belly of the aircraft and needs a separate GPS antenna, listens to your transponder code and sends out the ADS-B data.

Note: ADS-B In works only when a ADS-B Out is triggered by an ground facility in the area, only then you will see traffic on your ADS-B In solution.